


Reception

by Femme55



Series: Ari & Dante [6]
Category: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 05:20:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9307097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Femme55/pseuds/Femme55
Summary: Ari and Dante head to the university for a student art show reception.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This happens a few weeks after "Let's Take a Drive".

“Dante! Come on. We’re going to be late.” 

Ari pulled his suit jacket on and grabbed his keys, wallet, and phone from the table by the door. He looked in the mirror and smoothed down his hair, then glanced at his watch. They should have left ten minutes ago. He looked up as Dante came rushing down the hall, shirt half untucked and only partially buttoned, hair sticking up in all directions, his fly down, his belt and jacket hanging over one of his arms. It was a different outfit than he had been wearing when Ari had left the bedroom five minutes before and he rolled his eyes. He took the belt and jacket from Dante, setting them on the foyer table before reaching out to finish buttoning Dante’s shirt as he tucked it in. 

“What was wrong with the suit and shirt you had on?” 

Ari buttoned Dante’s sleeves then held the jacket open and Dante shrugged it on. 

“The other outfit was basically the same as yours. I don’t want to dress like your twin. That’s weird. I don’t want my colleagues and students to think you’re my brother.” 

Dante put on his belt and looked in the mirror, sighing as he tried to flatten the back of his hair. Ari grabbed him by the arm and gently turned him around, reaching up to rake his hand through Dante’s hair. Dante looked down at Ari and smiled, wrapping his arms loosely around Ari's waist before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the crease between his eyebrows. 

“Thank you. What would I ever do without you?”

“You’re very cute, you would get by. Someone would surely take pity on you.” 

Ari smiled and glanced down, smirking a bit as he reached for Dante’s still-open zipper. He looked up and met Dante’s eyes as he slowly raised the zipper, grinning when Dante shivered as his hand lightly grazed the bulge in his pants. Dante leaned down and kissed Ari firmly on the cheek before moving to press his lips against Ari’s ear. 

“Tease.” 

Ari laughed and pulled back from Dante, blushing as he reached into the inside pocket of Dante’s jacket for his tie. He pulled it out quickly and wrapped it around Dante’s neck, tying it neatly before smoothing down his shirt. He stepped back and looked Dante over, nodding in approval until his eyes reached his feet. Ari let out a sigh at the sight of Dante’s mismatched socks, then looked up at Dante with an exasperated look on his face. 

“Shoes, Dante. Shoes.” 

Ari quickly returned to the bedroom and located Dante’s shoes, then grabbed Dante’s wallet and phone off their dresser before returning to the foyer. Dante slipped on his shoes and grinned sheepishly before stuffing his wallet and phone into his pocket. Ari grabbed his keys off the foyer table and checked his watch again, shaking his head as he practically pushed Dante out the front door. 

*****

When they reached the university, he dropped Dante off close to the art building because parking was a nightmare. He watched as Dante sprinted across the sidewalk and disappeared into a mass of students and professors heading into the reception before he drove off. After he parked, he followed a large group of too-young looking students into the building, hanging back when they all crammed into the elevator. He decided that he could only take so much angst while trapped in an enclosed space and waved them off when they held the door for him. 

As he waited for the next elevator, another young man approached and Ari glanced over at him. He recognized this one – Luis – he was the student that Ari had seen flirting with Dante a few weeks ago, the day Ari showed up after he got his old pickup truck running. The young man turned and looked at Ari, smiling as he looked Ari slowly up and down with a cocked eyebrow. Ari nodded his head and gave him a small smile, turning away when the elevator dinged. They rode up to the third floor in silence, but Ari could feel the student’s eyes on him, and he smirked when he thought of what his reaction would be when he realized who he was.

When he walked into the gallery he spotted Dante almost immediately. He was engaged in conversation with another art professor and a close friend of theirs, Kim, a drink already in hand. Luis stepped around Ari and made a beeline to them, his hand immediately raising to grip Dante’s bicep as he greeted him, Dante flinching slightly at the contact. Ari slowly approached Dante, amused at the exasperated look on his face as Luis talked excitedly, leaning in a little too close. 

“Ari, I was getting worried. Luis, this is Ari. My husband.” 

Dante slightly emphasized the word husband and Luis turned and looked at Ari, his pasted-on smile faltering a little when they made eye contact. Ari leaned in and gave Kim a quick hug in greeting then turned and offered a hand to Luis. Luis stepped slightly back from Dante and shook Ari’s hand weakly with a pinched look on his face.

“Ari Mendoza.” 

“Nice to meet you. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go meet a few people.” 

The three men watched as Luis walked away from them, Kim chuckling as he grabbed Dante’s arm. 

“That one is trouble. He has a thing for every male professor in the art department. He had a crush on me until you came around. And he’s met my wife at least a half dozen times.” 

Dante laughed and rolled his eyes before finishing his wine in one big swallow, flagging down another waiter to get another glass for himself and Kim, and a whiskey for Ari. Ari had never liked crowds, but if there was a bar, he could tolerate them for a bit. 

After Dante made his speech to officially start the student art reception and introduce the featured seniors, they made their rounds. When they approached one artist in particular, a young man named James who did desert scenes – a student Dante had praised several times over the past few weeks – Ari immediately saw why Dante loved his work so much.  
He captured the desert – their desert – so perfectly that Ari felt like he was standing in it. James’ canvasses were large, some of the largest in the show, and Ari felt like each one was enveloping him when he stood in front of them. They were so detailed and realistic that Ari had a hard time believing that they were paintings and not photographs. 

“Amazing, right? All they are missing is a red truck.” 

Dante was standing close to Ari and he wished they were in the desert, alone, laying in the back of the truck looking up at the stars. He wanted to take these paintings home with them. 

“Incredible. I want him to paint the desert sky on our bedroom ceiling.” 

Dante laughed and leaned over to press a kiss to Ari’s left eyebrow before he gently led them to the next artist.

An hour and a half later, Ari couldn’t stop thinking about James’ work. He had had enough small talk with students, parents, and Dante’s colleagues and he excused himself while Dante socialized. He made his way back to James’ paintings and just stood staring at them, feeling himself getting lost in that beautiful desert. He wasn’t joking when he had told Dante he wanted their bedroom ceiling painted with the desert sky. He was just wondering how much one of the large canvasses would go for when someone walked up beside him. 

“Which is your favorite?” 

Ari glanced at the young man standing next to him then turned back to the paintings. He thought for a second then gestured toward the largest one – the one that mostly showed a small portion of a darkened desert with bright stars above. The sky took up most of the canvas; plants, rocks, and the desert floor only taking up a small portion of the bottom quarter of the painting. The rest was made up of just stars, planets, and a thick band of the Milky Way. 

“This one. Nothing beats the stars in the desert. Nothing beats the desert, period.”

“I know what you mean. I love the desert. It’s so beautiful. And lonely. But in a good way.” 

Ari smiled and turned to face the young man. He remembered Dante saying something similar years before. 

“Are you James?”

“Yes. James Quinn.”

“Ari. Mendoza.” Ari shook James’ hand and turned back to the painting, intending on asking him if this was a particular spot in a particular desert, or just a general desert scene when James reached out and clutched his elbow with one hand, his other still grasping Ari’s after their initial handshake.

“Wait, wait. You’re not Aristotle Mendoza, are you? The writer?” 

Ari felt his face flush. He almost never got recognized. His columns had a good following, and his first three novels had sold very well, but he was still rarely recognized. He had done signings in a few bookstores when he lived in L.A., but nothing here in El Paso yet. 

“Yes. Please, call me Ari.” 

James stood staring at him for a few seconds, a look of amused shock on his face. 

“I’m sorry – for some reason I thought you would be a lot older.” He blushed and shook his head slightly, his eyes going slightly wide when he realized he was still clutching Ari’s hand and grasping his elbow. He dropped his hands and ran one nervously through his hair, laughing quietly as he looked shyly at Ari. “That’s a weird thing to say, forgive me. I love your books. I thought you were based out of L.A. A friend of mine said he met you at a signing in L.A. and you said you lived in the city. Wow. Sorry – I’m just a little excited to meet you. I’m probably giving off a crazy stalker vibe.” 

“No, you’re… I did live in L.A. I just moved back about a year ago, with my... I… I’m from here.”

James smiled broadly and the next two questions rushed out of his mouth like they were racing each other. "Are you working on anything new? Do you have a new book coming out soon?”

Ari usually hated talking about his work, but James’ excitement at meeting him was contagious and he suddenly felt a little more comfortable with him. 

“Yes, I am working on a new novel. I’m not even close to finishing it though. I’m still in the research phase. And I have some other projects that may actually come out sooner.” 

“Oh man. This is so cool. I can’t believe I’m meeting you. I’m sorry. I’m embarrassing you. I’ll stop now, I promise.” Ari flashed him a nervous smile as James kept staring for a few more seconds before he blushed and shook his head. “I will definitely keep a look out for your next book. Seriously, I love your work.” James stared at Ari with eager eyes, his intense gaze making Ari look away and smile sheepishly. He felt himself blush deeply, and the drink in his hand became very intriguing. James noticed the blush and pried his eyes away from Ari, looking around with a dazed look on his face like he was just realizing where they were. “What are you doing here? This seems like an odd place for anyone to hang out unless you are a student, family or friend of a student, or a professor. Are you teaching here now?”  
Dante suddenly appeared, a huge grin of his face as he spotted Ari and James talking. 

“Or married to a professor. You left that one out. I see you’ve met my better half.”

James looked confused for a slight second and then smiled when Dante’s words sunk in. 

“Yes, we definitely met. I’m freaking out a bit. You never said you were married to Aristotle Mendoza. I was just saying how much I love his books. And we were talking about the desert.” 

“No surprise there. Ari’s favorite place is the desert. I think that’s why we really moved back here – he missed the desert too much. 

“I could see that. So, what are the other projects you’re working on? Besides your new novel? Or is that prying? I’m sorry, I swear I’m not crazy.”

Ari smiled and blushed again, and Dante glanced at him in surprise; it was rare for him to mention his work to strangers. When Ari didn’t respond for a few more seconds Dante jumped in, falling back into the habit of being the talker in the relationship.

“We are working on something together actually. A graphic novel. About El Paso and the desert, and you know, our quickly fading youth.” 

“That’s incredible. Your art and his words? That’s… I mean, I don’t think I could ever trust anyone enough to collaborate like that… I love that you are merging your two art forms into one piece. Wow. I can’t wait to see it. Please tell me it’s almost done.” 

Ari blushed again and thanked him quietly, hoping that Dante would change the subject; he didn’t really like talking about his work. He leaned into Dante a little, feeling a little of the tension leave his body when Dante’s hand firmly slid up his back and his cool fingers pressed into his neck. 

“It’s still early in the project, but I will definitely keep you posted. And as for the desert scenes, I may need your expertise for those. Landscapes are not my strong suit. Speaking of which, these pieces really are amazing James.” He leaned closer to James and lowered his voice. “The best in the show. I know I shouldn’t play favorites, but your work is incredible. I’ve been talking about you for weeks now. Ari was getting a little jealous.” 

It was James’ turn to blush and Ari gave him a small smile before he turned back to the paintings. Ari tuned out when James and Dante started discussing shading, light and shadow and technique, instead getting lost again in the desert before him. They talked for quite a while about his art and the desert before James was pulled away by other students and professors. Ari shook his hand again and grabbed one of James’ cards, pocketing it as he took another long look at the large canvas of the desert sky before Dante steered them away. Ari was getting a little worn out from making small talk and excused himself to the men’s room when Dante had found another group of people to charm. When he returned, Dante had moved across the room, and was talking to Kim and a few other professors. Dante spotted him and winked, nodding when Ari got a drink and pointed to toward some seats by the window. That was something Ari loved about Dante – he understood and respected that crowds were sometimes difficult for him and allowed him to escape in order to be alone for a bit. 

Ari was working on his fifth whiskey, flipping James’ card through his fingers, when Dante finally found him. He stood clumsily as Dante approached, slipping the card into his jacket’s inside pocket, and Dante smiled as he put out a hand to help steady him. 

“Ari, are you drunk?” 

“A little.”

Ari winked and finished his drink, set it down carefully, then grabbed Dante’s hand and raised it and pressed a kiss against his palm. Dante laughed and wrapped his arm around Ari’s shoulders, squeezing him briefly before leading him towards the elevator. 

“Come on. We can go now. I already said our goodbyes when I saw the waiter take you that last drink. Where are the keys?”  
Dante grabbed Ari’s jacket and pulled him closer, reaching into his pocket to find the keys. Ari stopped him and swayed close to Dante, crooking his finger to get Dante to lean down so he could whisper in his ear. 

“I have a better idea. Let’s go swimming.”

Dante stepped back with a smirk on his face. He stared at Ari for a second, then laughed. 

“Wow. You are drunk. Where are we going to find a pool open tonight? It’s eleven thirty.” 

Ari rolled his eyes, grabbing Dante’s arm when the gesture made him slightly dizzy. 

“We’re at a university. There’s a pool here. Come on, it’ll be fun. Let’s be crazy.” 

Dante cupped Ari’s face in his hands and stared down at him with a smirk on his face. 

“Ari. It’s late. The pool is closed. Let’s go home.”

He grabbed Ari’s hand and led him to the elevator, reaching back into Ari’s jacket pocket for the keys once the door closed. Ari leaned back against the wall of the elevator and smiled at Dante as he searched his jacket pockets, wrapping his arms loosely around Dante’s waist. The keys weren’t in his jacket and Dante stepped closer to Ari, reaching into his pants pockets instead. Ari slid his hands to Dante’s ass and pulled Dante toward him, nuzzling his chest and pressing his groin into him, making Dante laugh.  
“Mmmmm… You smell so good. Maybe we should just stop the elevator and…” Ari moved his face up to Dante’s neck, sucking lightly on his throat, making him squirm. Dante finally found the keys and fished them out, laughing as he leaned down to kiss Ari before the elevator doors opened. 

“You should drink whiskey more often. You’re a handsy drunk.”

As they were walking to the car Ari tried to get him to go to the pool again. 

“I don’t want to go home yet. Let’s just go to the pool. We can get naked…”

Ari reached out and grabbed Dante’s belt as he said the last bit, deftly unbuckling it with one hand before Dante’s hand shot out to stop him. He laughed and held Ari’s hands by the wrists loosely, only half battling him as he attempted to reach for his belt again. 

“How are we going to get in? I don’t have a key to the fitness center. It closed at eight.”

Ari stopped struggling and stood still, closing his eyes to think for a second before he smiled and opened them blearily at Dante. 

“We can jimmy the lock. Or find a janitor. They probably all have a crush on you too. Please Dante. It’ll be fun, I promise.” 

Dante laughed and dragged Ari the rest of the way to the car, amused that he was trying this hard to get Dante to give in, finally agreeing to at least check the doors before they headed home for the night. 

*****

“These are locked. I told you, it closed hours ago.”

Ari pulled in vain against the double glass doors, not quite trusting Dante, then slumped against the wall, disappointed that he was right. His head was slightly cloudy and he resigned himself to just going home and passing out when he heard a door open to his left. He peeked around the corner and saw a janitor hauling out a large cart of garbage from a door just a few feet away, leaving the door wide open. He waited until the janitor disappeared behind the dumpster enclosure and grabbed Dante’s hand, shushing him as he pulled him to the door. They ran full force when they got inside, quickly putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the janitor before they slowed down to a brisk walk. Dante leaned against the wall for a second and panted, smiling at Ari before pulling him into a quick kiss. 

“You’re crazy. I love you. Come on. The pool is this way.” 

The pool room was almost completely dark, the underwater lights turned down low, giving the water a very faint blue glow. Dante took off his tie and wrapped it around the handles of the main door, hoping that if someone had heard them that the tie would delay them enough so they could make their way out through the dressing rooms and outside. They quickly undressed and carefully stepped into the pool, Ari sighing as he sank neck deep into the cool water. He swam a few laps with Dante before stopping to float. He floated on his back for several minutes, enjoying the feeling of weightlessness in his drunken state as Dante continued swimming close by. 

“We should have bought a house with a pool. You love swimming. Swimming and me.” 

Dante stopped swimming when he heard Ari speak and made his way toward him. Ari carefully flipped over and swam slowly toward Dante. They could barely see each other in the dim light, but they met in the middle of the pool. The water was just deep enough so Ari could still touch, his chin barely an inch above the water line. 

“Yes. You and swimming. In that order.”

Neither spoke as they reached for each other, pulling one another close as their lips met. They kissed slowly and deeply, the sound of their breathing echoing in the vast emptiness of the room. The sound made Ari’s head swim and his pulse race, and he held onto Dante tightly, finally breaking away from the kiss to bury his face in Dante’s neck. Dante reached down and gently pulled Ari’s feet off the bottom of the pool, holding him tightly against his chest as Ari wrapped his legs around his waist. Dante walked further into the deep end until the water was nearly up to his own chin before stopping and winding a hand into Ari’s hair. He moved them in slow circles, one of his hands moving from Ari’s thigh to his hip, and up his spine, repeating the same path back down again. He felt Ari getting increasingly turned on with each pass of his hand over his skin, and he moved his hand from his back to grab Ari’s ass and pulled him tighter against him, letting out a sigh when Ari’s erection pressed hard into him. Ari leaned back and looked at Dante, smiling as their eyes met. 

“Did you have fun tonight? I know you usually hate these things.”

“It was good. I love seeing you with all your students. They worship you. Some more than others.” 

Dante rolled his eyes and pressed a kiss to Ari’s forehead, going slightly pink at his words. 

“Yes, well, trust me when I say that Luis has nothing on you. I’m sure he’ll move on shortly. Like Kim said, he’s had a thing for every male faculty member in the art department. Even the straight ones. Especially the straight ones, from what I’ve heard.” 

“I actually rode up in the elevator with him. I’m pretty sure he was checking me out. You may have some competition.”

“I’m sure he was. I check you out all the time and we’ve been together for twenty years. You are hot. That does explain his flabbergasted reaction at meeting you.” Dante shook his head with a small smile on his face and pressed his forehead against Ari’s. “I told you that you would love James’ work. And he definitely seemed taken with you.”  
Ari pulled back and smirked at Dante, feeling himself blush a little when he thought about James’s reaction at meeting him. 

“Now look who’s jealous.” 

Dante laughed and kissed Ari hard, moving a hand to the back of his head to hold him steady as he suddenly bent his knees and dropped them both under the water. They kissed underwater for several seconds then resurfaced, Dante breaking the kiss as his hands moved up to smooth Ari’s hair back and wipe water off both their faces. Ari sputtered then laughed and held him tighter, moving to press kisses against his neck, making Dante shiver as he sucked on the spot below the curve of his jaw. 

“Hey you. You ready to go home yet?” 

Ari nodded and held onto Dante tighter as he slowly moved them back toward the shallow end, finally dropping his feet when their bodies were mostly out of the water. They stood in the hip deep water and kissed, finally breaking when they both started shivering. Dante found towels after they stepped out of the pool and wrapped one low around his waist before wrapping Ari up in the other, rubbing his hands up and down Ari’s back to help him stay warm. As they were dressing, James’s card fell out of Ari’s pocket and slid across the tiles. Dante leaned down to retrieve it, narrowing his eyes and giving Ari an odd look as he held the card up. 

“Are you two running away into the desert together?” 

Ari rolled his eyes and looked down as he buttoned his shirt, feeling a slight warmth rise to his cheeks at the slightly worried tone in Dante’s voice.

“No. Just in case we need help with the graphic novel. You said you were a bit nervous about the desert scenes – you don’t like landscapes. And I was totally serious about having the desert sky painted on our bedroom ceiling. If it makes you uncomfortable, then we can always find someone else.” 

Dante smiled and shook his head, leaning over to slip the card back in Ari’s pocket, raising one hand to stroke Ari’s cheekbone as he pressed a kiss against his other cheek. 

“No, his work is amazing. I think he would be perfect for the desert scenes. My talents lie elsewhere. Besides, I’m sure he’s straight, so I’m not too worried about you two eloping. I mean he must be straight because he’s never even flirted with me, so that’s obviously the ONLY explanation.”  
Ari chuckled and nodded in agreement, then moved close to Dante. He wrapped his arms around Dante’s waist and leaned back to look up into Dante’s eyes, a serious look on his face. Dante reached up to smooth Ari’s wet hair back before wrapping both arms around his neck. 

“You know that I would never do something like that, right? You have always been, and will always be, the only one for me, Dante. If it weren’t for you, I would be lost. I would probably still be that angry, scared boy I was when we first met.”

Dante smiled down at Ari and pressed a kiss to his forehead, holding him tightly against his chest for a few seconds before clearing his throat so he could speak. “I know. I’m not worried. I trust you completely. And if it weren’t for you, who knows where I would be. Probably still kissing unsavory men in alleys.” Dante shuddered and smiled, a small look of pain at the memory flashing across his face briefly before he leaned down to kiss Ari. “Come on. We should get home. It’s getting late, and we are old, and there are things I want to do to you before we pass out.” 

*****

Dante fumbled with his keys, nearly dropping them when Ari slid in between him and the door, his hands making quick work of Dante’s belt and zipper as he nuzzled his neck. Dante laughed and attempted to unlock the door again, nearly toppling over when Ari cupped him through his boxer briefs roughly. 

“Fuck, Ari. What has gotten into you tonight?” 

“In about five minutes I hope that I will be able to respond to that question with ‘Dante Quintana’. If you ever get the damn door open.” 

Ari chuckled and slipped his hand into Dante’s underwear and wrapped his hand around his cock, drawing a sharp intake of breath out of Dante. He stroked him a few times, smiling when Dante let out a low moan. Dante finally managed to unlock the door and opened it, leaning down to wrap his arms around Ari to pull him into a rough kiss. They stumbled through the door, Ari’s hand still firmly wrapped around Dante as he attempted to shut and lock the door behind him. Dante began walking Ari backward down the hallway toward the bedroom, pausing halfway to press Ari against the wall and kissed him harder. He pulled Ari’s hand out of his pants and pressed his arms roughly over his head, holding both wrists with one hand against the wall as he unbuttoned Ari’s shirt with the other. When his shirt was completely open, Dante leaned in and pressed his clothed chest against Ari’s, sighing when he felt Ari’s warmth seep through the cotton. He pressed his forehead against Ari’s, laughing as Ari tried to wriggle his wrists free, then reached down and swiftly undid Ari’s belt with one hand.

“You’re not the only one who’s quick with a belt.” 

Ari shuddered when Dante slowly unzipped his pants and reached his hand inside. He slipped his hand carefully under the waist of Ari’s boxer briefs, his fingers barely touching Ari’s erection, smiling when Ari tried to thrust up against his hand for more friction. He teased him for a second, lightly trailing his fingers over Ari’s hot skin as he leaned forward to kiss him. Dante stopped a mere fraction before their lips met and just breathed against Ari’s lips, the teasing closeness quickly driving Ari to groan in frustration. Finally, after Ari moaned and struggled against the hand holding his wrists while bucking his hips up in a vain effort to get Dante to touch his straining erection, Dante finally let Ari’s wrists go. 

In one quick movement Dante dropped his hand to Ari’s ass and pulled him roughly against him, kissing him fiercely as he wrapped his hand tightly around his cock. His mouth still covered Ari’s and he swallowed his moans as he continued to stroke him slow and hard. Dante finally pulled back from the kiss, watching as Ari started falling apart under his tight grip. 

“What do you want, Ari?” 

Ari’s eyes opened slightly and he groaned again, his head falling back against the wall as Dante continued stroking him. 

“I want… I… Dante. Just…”

“I need to hear you say it.”

Ari groaned and looked up at Dante, their eyes meeting as he moved forward in an attempt to kiss Dante again. Dante moved back slightly, holding his lips just out of Ari’s reach and grinned wickedly at him, stroking him harder. 

“Dante… just… I need… fuck me already.” 

Dante chuckled and squeezed Ari tighter. “I will. Just not yet.” 

Ari groaned at these words, then Dante dropped to his knees and dragged Ari’s pants and underwear down to his ankles, supporting him as he shakily stepped out of the garments. Once he had both feet back firmly on the ground, he slowly ran the tip of his tongue over the head of Ari’s cock, looking up at Ari deviously before he took him fully into his mouth. Ari’s knees almost buckled as Dante started a slow rhythm of tongue-teasing and sucking, and Dante raised his hand to Ari’s chest to press him firmly against the wall. 

“Bed, Dante. Bed. Now.” 

Dante pulled his mouth away from Ari with a satisfying wet popping noise, laughing low in his throat when Ari shivered and groaned at the loss of contact. He stood and kissed Ari again, pulling his open shirt completely off him and discarding it with the rest of Ari’s clothing before leaning down to pick him up. Ari wrapped his legs around Dante’s waist, groaning when his erection ground into Dante’s belly and broke away from the kiss to press his lips against Dante’s ear. He muttered filthy words in Spanish to Dante, smiling when his words made Dante hold him tighter and his breath hitch in his throat. 

When they reached the bedroom Dante practically threw Ari on the bed and stood to shed his clothing. Ari sat up and helped him, pulling Dante down on top of him before he had fully stepped out of his boxers, his shirt still hanging off one arm. Dante laughed and kissed Ari frantically, lifting him carefully to scoot them further up the bed, reaching over to his nightstand when he finally had them close enough to the headboard. He fumbled around blindly in the drawer for a few seconds, not breaking the kiss, making a small noise of triumph as he pulled out a bottle of clear liquid. He finally broke free from the kiss to open the bottle, grinning at Ari as he tugged Dante’s shirt completely off his arm and threw it to the floor before grabbing his ass and pulling him tighter against his straining erection. 

“If you don’t hurry up I’m going to have to finish myself off.” 

Dante laughed and poured a generous amount of lube onto his fingers and reached between their bodies to press a finger into Ari. Ari’s mouth opened at the intrusion and a small whimper escaped his lips, the sound turning almost desperate as Dante added another finger and began stretching him. After a few minutes of feeling Dante’s fingers slide in and out of him Ari practically began panting, wriggling in an attempt for more friction. 

“Come on baby, I’m ready. Please.” 

Ari groaned when Dante’s fingers finally pulled out and he watched as Dante poured more lube into his hand to slick up his cock. When the tip of Dante’s cock press against him Ari shifted, pulling his legs tighter to his body to give Dante more room. He sighed as Dante slid into him slowly and he wrapped his legs around Dante’s back to pull him closer. Dante pulled back and slide in gently, making Ari grip him tighter and try to force him to speed up. 

“Harder, Dante. I want it hard.” Dante started to argue and Ari grabbed his hips roughly, his fingers digging into his sweat-misted skin, his lips pressing against Dante’s ear. “You’re not going to hurt me.”

Dante groaned and obeyed, pulling back and slamming into Ari roughly before pulling out slowly. He kept that rhythm, the alternating rough thrusting-in and slow drawing-out causing Ari to moan and throw his head back after only a few seconds. Ari felt his orgasm building quickly and he shifted slightly, the new angle making Dante’s cock hit his prostate with every stroke and the friction of their bodies rub tantalizingly against his erection trapped between their bellies. He felt Dante begin shaking and his rhythm increased, his hips snapping up every time he bottomed out inside Ari, the friction nearly causing Ari to go mad with sensation. A string of Spanish flew out of his mouth and he pulled Dante harder against him, practically crushing him to his chest as he felt himself start to lose control. Dante groaned and thrust frantically, his breathing hot and wet against Ari’s shoulder, the feeling throwing Ari over the edge completely. 

Ari cried out as he came, his body going completely rigid as he felt a gush of hot liquid fill the space between his stomach and Dante’s, and he squeezed his eyes shut as a wave of pleasure ripped through him. His hands clutched at Dante’s back and he felt more than heard Dante groan as he thrust hard once more. He felt Dante’s release deep inside him and he shivered; the feeling of Dante coming inside him was so hot that it nearly sent him directly into another orgasm, and he felt all his muscles tighten at the sensation. Dante moaned at the increase in tightness surrounding him and he collapsed against Ari, his breathing harsh against Ari’s neck, his body shaking at he came down from his orgasm. They lay perfectly still for a good minute, both of their hearts pounding against their chests as they attempted to regain control over their bodies. Finally, Dante pulled his head up and looked at Ari with a sexy smile, a bead of sweat trickling down his nose. Ari reached up and wiped it away before pulling Dante down for a gentle kiss. 

“I don’t think I’m ever to going to let you out of this bed again. That was… fuck. That was amazing.” 

Dante laughed and kissed him again, teasing him with his tongue before pulling back to look at him again. 

“Yes, it was. I love when you bottom. Of course, I love when you top too… maybe I just love having you naked and writhing against me.” 

Ari chuckled and ran his hands down Dante’s back slowly, causing Dante to squirm and shiver, goosebumps raising under Ari’s hands. 

“We did make a mess though. Not that I’m complaining.”

Dante laughed and shifted, slowly pulling away from and out of Ari, causing him to wince slightly. He reached for a box of tissue on the nightstand and hastily cleaned both of them up. 

“Sore? I would say I’m sorry, but… I’m totally not.” 

He stood unsteadily, hopping to fully remove the underwear still wound around his ankle, and reached down to pull Ari to his feet. He winced again and blushed when Dante smirked at him. 

“I’m a bit sore. It’s been a while for me. It’s worth it though.” 

Dante leaned down to kiss Ari, then bent to throw him over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry before heading toward the bathroom. Ari shrieked and slapped Dante’s ass playfully, enjoying the feel of his still-pert flesh against his hands. After showering they both crawled into bed, Dante wrapping his long arms tightly around Ari as they settled in for sleep. 

“Wow. We must me getting old. About ten years ago we would be gearing up for round three by now. Now we are just attempting to keep our eyes open.”

Dante laughed and pulled Ari closer, pressing a kiss to the back of his head. 

“We may be getting old, but at least we are getting there together. As long as I’m with you, nothing else matters.” 

Ari smiled and pulled Dante’s arms around him tighter, enjoying the feel of Dante wrapped around him. He wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world – money, eternal youth, or the secrets of the universe. Nothing beat lying next to the one person in the world who made him look forward to growing old.


End file.
